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Big Country Game of the Week: Idalou Wildcats (5-1) at Colorado City Wolves (6-0)

It might only be the second week of the District 2-3A Division II slate, but there is already a matchup that will play a part in playoff seeding and could even determine the champion.

In Friday's Big Country Game of the Week, two teams enter with one loss combined. I'll be at Wolf Stadium to watch undefeated Colorado City defend its turf against Idalou.

The Wolves (6-0 overall, 1-0 district) are coming off an easy 45-6 victory over winless Lubbock Roosevelt in the teams' district opener. C-City held the Eagles to 109 yards of offense and five first downs. The Wolves defense also recovered a pair of fumbles, including one Tracy Smith returned 43 yards for a TD.

"(Things) are going good," C-City coach Dan Gainey said. "We're just kind of cruising along. Not playing as good as I wish we would be, but maybe that'll change Friday. It better."

The win over Roosevelt was far from the team's toughest test of the season, which may have come two weeks prior. The Wolves edged Clyde 27-26 in overtime, the difference being an extra point.

Along with a 42-34 victory over Ballinger (4-2) in Week 3, Gainey said the two wins impressed him the most during the team's unbeaten start.

"We just kind of had to bear down and find a way to win a game," he said. "Obviously, Clyde was a lot closer, being an overtime game. But the Ballinger game really wasn't much different. I don't think we played overly well that night, but Ballinger had something to do with that...Both of those (games) stand out, as far as recent memory goes.

"And I'm still waiting for us to play as good as we can."

The thought that C-City hasn't reached its potential should scare the Wolves' remaining opponents. But Gainey said he'd still like to see improved fundamentals: blocking and tackling.

The Wolves will need to do both against a physically bigger Idalou (5-1, 1-0) squad. The Wildcats used that size to power through Coahoma 35-0 last week. Idalou built a 21-0 lead after the first quarter, thanks in part to a pair of Marcus Newton TD runs.

The Wildcats run an I-formation attack behind their sizable offensive line. Newton, a senior, leads the team with 430 rushing yards and six TDs, but Idalou has four runners with at least 200.

"They just line up and get after you," Gainey said. "They've got a couple of running backs that they rotate in. Both of them are extremely good. They complement each other pretty well."

Gainey said the Wildcats are known for having physical quarterbacks, and this year that title belongs to Pierce Clary. The senior nearly matched his previous total with 186 passing yards against Coahoma after entering with 208 total.

Still, Idalou passes sparingly, with Clary attempting 35 throws on the year. The QB has run for 364 yards and three scores.

On defense, the Wildcats will have to deal with a handful of talented C-City skill players, any of which could be the go-to playmaker on a given night.

Smith is the Wolves' leading receiver with 19 catches for 591 yards and 10 TDs. That's a ridiculous 31.1 yards per catch. Reid Harris (18-334-3) also is a threat.

Bubba Williams — who scored four times Friday — leads the team with 420 rushing yards nine TDs.

And senior QB Markis Monroe orchestrates the whole thing. He has 1,204 passing yards and 221 on the ground with 21 total TDs and two interceptions.

"It's nice to have the ability to distribute that ball to some different guys," Gainey said. "I think we have four or five guys who equally can hurt whoever it is we're playing."

Gainey said the game will come down to special teams and limiting big plays. The Idalou defense is stout — the Wildcats have posted consecutive shutouts and allow 7.8 points per game — but C-City may be the best offense its faced since Shallowater in the opener.

I foresee a low-scoring affair, but I think a Wolf or two may break a long one and make the difference.